Boris Johnson: stress in the family

There are frictions in all families, of course. But those that have lately surfacein the GLA "family" and linked institutions are striking nonetheless. Appointments that seemed sure to foster blood loyalties are marked by fractiousness instead. Relationships that looked to have harmony in their DNA are under strain. Perhaps I'm reading too much into recent tiffs. Perhaps the tensions will prove creative. Yet they have the potential to grow into distracting rivalries and damaging rifts - maybe even the expunging of names from Christmas card lists. As Mayor Johnson' administration enters a potentially tricky midterm week, let's inspect the areas of inflammation.

Malthouse, Boris and The MetI'm told that Deputy Kit seems "largely unrepentant" for his "hand on the tiller" remark to the Guardian that moved Sir Paul Stephenson to post a clarifying letter and then to send out a similarly sharp message from the Superintendents' Conference. I'm sticking to my view that the row was really about Boris's man daring to say out loud something that everyone knows is true - that police chiefs take politicians' cues - but are frightened to acknowledge publicly. That said, City Hall doesn't want to be on bad terms with the Commissioner whose appointment it supported and desired. There's a full MPA meeting on Thursday. Will Boris's political opponents exploit mayoral embarrassment? Will Sir Paul? How will Kit and Mayor Johnson behave? Anthony Browne and LDAThe explosive criticisms aimed at Boris's LDA bosses by Boris's economics aide last week do not bode well for relationships between the two wings of the "family". Paul Norman at Estates Gazette has pointed out the possible knock-on effects on making up the Olympics land acquisition "over-run" and handing on responsibility for the park to the new Olympic Legacy Company. Those LDA exchanges also hinted at possible quarrels among mayoral advisers over where the agency should make economies. Boris and the Olympics BoardMayor Johnson reckons £20 million can be saved by moving shooting from Woolwich to Barking and badminton and rhythmic gymnastics from Greenwich to Wembley Arena. The British Olympics Association, which has a power of veto over decisions taken by the Olympics Board, isn't keen. Boris indicated to the BBC that he is cross. This might have been slick positioning. It might also be a hostage to fortune if, as guardian of value-for-money, he fails to get his way.